Not the Plumie I thought I bought.....

mjhuntingtonbeachSeptember 13, 2009

Last summer I fell in love with a plumeria called "Sangwaltubtim" or some varient of that... a pink flower in an umbrella shape, looked great in the pictures. Soooo, long story short, I ordered one on Ebay, cost a pretty penny, grafted.... nursed it along... it bloomed finally a month ago.... anyone know what the heck this is? Hardly any scent at all fwiw, kind of a washed out white yellow center and some streaking ....

I'm an orchid grower and have a few Plumies. If those were orchid flowers I would tell you the plant is probably virused. Not sure whether Plumeria's show virus with color break as orchids do. You might want to get the plant tested.

I would hang on to it as that shape is very rare in the plumeria world. I would think it came from a seedling of JL.pink pansy from Jim Little. I have the only reddish one I have seen which was a possible cross of a pink pansy and a Cindy Moragne that happened in my yard with the Moragne the mother.
JL.pink pansy:
Cindy Baby #6 Sherry Skipper-Spurgeon:

It looks like it can be a virus, and as far as I know they are contagious (but I think it usually spreads only by insects who bite into the leaves) but I doubt it would spread to other plants that arent plumerias.

I would keep it away from any other pluemrias if possible, but it looks like a very unique plumeria so maybe if your lucky it will grow out of the possible virus.

A good example can be found on Brad's site, and the shape and center color is correct.

Not all colors will pop in HB - I keep a list of ones that do well on the coast, since I seldom get sustained heat. If you'd like a copy, simply send a note off forum. Good examples are Ferris Wheel, Scarlet Red, and Kaneohe Sunburst. diana =^,,^=

hmmm, I think you might have a point there about the cooler coastal weather. It rarely gets over 80 here on the hottest days, nights rarely above 65 in midsummer.

I believe I met you two years ago at the Jungle Jack's open house and I recall you were shopping based on fragrance, noting that issue about dull colors on the coast. That is certainly depressing... lol.

Speaking of Jungle Jacks and washed out colors, here's the "Inner Peace" I bought from him that day, a rainbow flower that for me is just a pale yellow white flower, probably my micro climate:

and some more of what we'll assume is the Sangwaam watchacallit at various times after the above pictures were taken:

Still not sure it is the plumeria I thought I was buying but I moved it into the front yard where it gets better light, and we have been having a heat wave, hard to believe it is the same plumeria. Pictures:

Yes, this summer it does seem to have come into its own. I do think it needs either a larger pot or planting in the ground although it is a very compact tree, as you can see in the pictures below. I got it grafted, so I am not certain if that is why it is so compact, or if that is just its natural growth pattern, or something else I am doing to it that has a dwarfing effect. I have made several cuttings and on its own roots it seems to have a tendency to branch soon and often.

Hi Jandey, and yes, very compact, I think it was this summer's unusual heat that made it bloom so nicely and finally with some color. From the pictures I am seeing of J115, it could very well be the J115, or the JJ "super round" and in years past it had more of the rounded umbrella type petals so who knows. I should find somewhere to plant it in the ground to see if it bulks up and flowers better.

Sadly though, no fragrance. But I love the shape of the tree and the flowers.